Be Here Now
by Six-Helix
Summary: Post-Out of the Box. Song-fic. Starts immediately at the end of the episode, Peter and Neal centric. No Slash. Hurt/Comfort.


Be Here Now

Song-Fic inspired by the season finale of White Collar, Out of the Box.

I do not own White Collar nor the rights to Be Here Now by Ray LaMontagne

_Don't let your mind get wear and confused_

_Your will be still, don't try_

He turned and in that moment all he could feel was heat, more than just the explosion. The emotion inside him was full of heat, full of all the thoughts that had been in his mind from the moment Peter stepped onto the tarmac. Now, as he was thrown, as he hit the concrete the heat seemed to suddenly turn cold. Kate…it didn't take long for him to respond, his body lurching up and towards the fire but he didn't make it something held him back. No, not something, those were definitely arms. Peter.

_Don't let your heart get heavy child_

_Inside you there's a strength that lies_

He was hoping he'd stay, that he'd make the right choice for both of them. That he would stay with him and be his friend, that he'd remain his partner, and hold onto this life that he'd found. He was expecting him to stop, to turn and come back to the Bureau to come back to the family he had. He wasn't expecting the plane to blow. The moment Caffrey was thrown fear along with panic, worry and all those cold emotions slammed into him and forced him to action. He reached for him but he was already up, he was running for the fire. His arms wrapped around the younger man and pulled him to his chest, he couldn't let him die, he couldn't let him throw himself away when there was nothing left for him in that fire but death.

_Don't let your soul get lonely child_

_It's only time, it will go by_

For the two of them time stopped, suddenly and tragically. Days passed and Neal just sat in silence. Peter had brought him to the Burke house that night, he and El had watched him silently. They didn't want to upset him; there had been enough of that to go around. But they were worried about him, his smile had faded away. The things that made Neal, Neal seemed to be gone. Peter kept the worry that they'd never seen their Neal again tucked away in the recesses of his mind, but as he looked at the young criminal sitting on his sofa he couldn't help but notice the deadened blue eyes sunk deep inside skin far too pale. As they came upon the funeral for Kate he noticed that Neal while trying to be isolated wasn't leaving his side or El's. When Mozzie came around he'd cling to him the same with June. Time would be the telling force, but he had a feeling that Neal secretly wanted the company.

_Don't look for love in faces, places_

_It's in you, that's where you'll find kindness_

Peter took him back to the old apartment, to their place. The funeral had come and passed and now he was starting to get back the pieces of this life. The pieces that he had never before wanted or expected to hold, this wasn't the life he envisioned nor was it the life he'd fought for. It was the life he had left. His chest heaved as he looked around the empty place, memories flickered in his mind. Memories of the woman he wouldn't be able to hold again, of the love that left a hollow mark in his heart. Peter watched silently, always silent, they hadn't spoken about much of anything since that day on the tarmac. Peter didn't know what to say, Neal didn't either. They just, revolved around each other and passed on by silently accepting the silence as the way they coped. Looking at the column Peter had rearrested him at a soft smile crept upon his face, he looked over at Peter and the smile held. It wasn't full of life, but there was some happy little thing hanging onto it.

_Be here now, here now_

_Be here now, here now_

A month and it was back to having Neal putter around the office, back to him helping them on cases. He wasn't the same man, but he was here. He had walked through those doors and was trying. Peter smiled from his office, Neal was sitting on Jones' desk probably talking about this new case they were working on but, something about the way his eyes seemed to be more alive made sense. Neal was coming back to them, not the same Neal they had before but at least a part of that man was coming back. Only time could tell them who Neal Caffrey would be after this, but Peter had faith that the Neal he'd come to know and respect wouldn't be too far from what they'd find. He had been a criminal; part of him would always be one because he'd stolen his way right into the heart and home of those around him. No one had expected to respect or worry for him when they brought him in as a consultant, but he'd proven to be a strong ally and a better friend. They'd have to be here for him now, be his allies and his friends but they could do it. They needed to prove themselves to him now.

_Don't lose your faith in me_

_And I will try not to lose faith in you_

_Don't put your trust in walls_

_Cause walls will only crush you when they fall_

_Be here now, here now_

_Be here now, here now_


End file.
